A judge in Howard County Circuit Court granted the state a permanent restraining order Feb. 25 against Dave Evans and his dealership in Kokomo, Dave Evans Tire Inc., from opening for business until the delinquent taxes are paid.

The business had been closed since Feb. 20, when the court issued a temporary restraining order.

The Attorney General's Office filed the case against Mr. Evans on behalf of the Indiana Department of Revenue. According to that agency, Dave Evans Tire owes $455,587.11 in unpaid sales taxes from between April 1995 and January 2013; $87,183.95 in unpaid withholding tax from between July 1995 and July 2013; and $8,181.86 in unpaid state tire fees from between January 2005 and January 2013.

The judge's order has yet to be drafted and filed in the Howard County Court, a spokesman for the Attorney General's Office told Tire Business.

A telephone number for Dave Evans Tire was not operational as of Feb. 26. However, Mr. Evans told the Kokomo Perspective in a Feb. 20 interview that he had been working with the Department of Revenue for some time to resolve his tax issues.

"I am determined to do the right thing," Mr. Evans told the newspaper.

The Attorney General's Office gave customers of Dave Evans Tire a telephone number, 800-382-5516, to contact for expedited assistance in returning any vehicles they had in the shop.

A search of the Better Business Bureau website in Kokomo by Tire Business revealed that Dave Evans Tire has an "F" rating— on a scale of A+ to F—with the agency because of "problems with product/service" and "delivery issues." The BBB said it was alerted to two complaints that were closed with the BBB in the last three years and one that was closed in the last 12 months.

The BBB said the dealership failed to respond to one complaint filed against it and another complaint was not resolved.